Ments



(NoModel.) 2 Sheets-f-Sheet 1.

J. HENDERSON.

MBTALLURGIG PUR'NAGB.

Patented Nov.y 14, 1882.

. INVENTOR m' N. PETERS. Pnommhegnpher, wnsmngmn. n.1:4

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. HENDERSON.

METALLURGIC FURNAGB.

N. 267,346. Patented N0v.14, 1882.

yINVEN'IOR WITNESSBS:

Uivrran STATES' JAMES HENDERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, TO CHARLES G. FRANCKLYN, OF SAME PLAGE.

IVIETALLURGIC FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,346, dated November14, 1882,

' Application filed March 21, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HENDERSON, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have made an invention of certain new and useful Improvementsin Furnaces, consisting generally of novel combinations ot' elements inapparatus for metallurgical manipulations. At the same time myimprovements are adapted to other heating uses.

Itis the object of my invention to 'promote greater economy `in the useof fuel by arranging a furnace in such manner that complete control otthe quantity and ofthe intensity of the heat, with perfect command ofthe chemical nature of the flame, are obtained without waste ot' fuelorloss of heat other than that unavoidably radiated and carried ott' bythe nitrogen, carbonio acid, and watery vapor passing away from thechimney.

The tirst'partot'myinvention relates to thepeculiar construction ofgas-lines and air-tuyeres at the neck of the furnace, whereby the gasfrom the gas-producer and air to burn that gas are mixed under greatlyincreased pressure and introduced to the combustion-chamber; and itconsists ot' a gas-inlet neck divided by walls into separategas-channels of continuous sectional area, and fitted with diagonalairtuyeres whose outlet-orifices are arranged within the saidgas-channels, whereby the air from thcadjoiningairpassagcs orgroovesisconducted in to the gas-channels,which are of the same sectional area oneach side of the entrance of the air-tuyeres, so that the com mingledgas and air have a velocity equal to the sum of the velocity ot' the gasand of the air before they come together, which velocity is furtherincreased by the expansion of the mixture of gas and air in combustion.

Another part of my invention relates to the arrangement for thecombustion of the gases from a gas-producer in successiveheatingchambers, to thevtirst of which the gas is supplied in separatestreams from thegas-producer, while the second heating-chamber receivesthe gas from the lrst; and it consists of the combination of devices bymeans of which the combustible gas from a gas-producer is divided intosepara te streams, and the supply of air is divided into two portions,one portion of which is supplied to the vstreams ofgas passing to theirst heating-chamber, while another portion is delivered to the gas forthe first chamber and another portion heilig delivered to the gasproceeding from the first heatingchamber to the second.

Another part of in yinvention relates to the supply of air forcombustion of the fuel and of the resulting carbonio oxide, so as toproduce dames having different chemical qualities, as 6o l desired,whether oxidizing, reducing, or neutral; and it consists of the methodot' Working gas-furnaces by supplying the air for the production of thecombustible gas and the air for the burning of the gas produced inmeasured quantities, which are varied according to the quality of damerequired.

rlhe residue of my improvements consists of sundry combinations andconstructions of devices, and in a new Inode ot' working the gas- 7oproducer for carrying out eft'ectuall y the abovestated improvements.

The various improvements constituting my invention are set forth indetail at the close ot' this specification, but in order that the samemay be properly understood I will proceed to set forth the system, mode,or mannerin or under which the same is or may be used or carried out inpractice, reference being had to the accompanying sheets of drawings,and to the 8o letters and figures marked thereon-that is to say:

ln the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of the furnace inwhich my improvements are used. Fig. 2 is a perspective view 85 of thegas-tlues with the gas-passages, airchannels, and tuyeres; and Fig. 3represents a horizontal section ofthe apparatus through .n x of Fig. 1.

A shows the gas-producer, from which the 9c flue B of the inlet-neck ofthe furnace is the outlet for the resulting gases, as well as the inletinto the heating-chamber C of a reverberatory furnace, from which thegases escape by the outlet-due D of the outlet-neck ofthe furnace to asecond heatingchamber, E, and thence by the chimney to the external air.The interior of the gas-producer is formed of two fuel-chambers, r r',the former, t", being beneath the gas-outlet B, and being therefore roodesignated the lowerfuel-chamber, while the other chamber, i", is abovethe said outlet and is therefore designated the upper77 fuel-chainber.It is designed that the interior of the gas-producer A shall at alltimes, when working, be charged to the top with fuel that will fallautomatically as it burns away at the bottoni, thus supplying the fire,while the fuel bccoines gradually heated, decreasing in temperature tothe top.

et shows a hinged cover at the top of the fuelhopper; b, a weightedlever-valve to close the hopper air-tight when charging fuel at ct.

c shows a port or opening at the bottom of the gas-producer forremoving` the contents and igniting the fuel.

In operating` the apparatus kindling is inserted at c and the fuel at a.The kindling beingignited, the fuel-blower I is brought into action. Theair from it passes by a pipe connected with the opening in the Aplatingof the furnace into the cavity d of the flue-bridge, a-nd thence underand along the reverberatory hearth to the pipe F, leading into anannular' pipe, e, surrounding the lower fuel-chamber of thegas-producer. From this annular pipe the air enters the lowerfuel-chamber, r, through the air passages or tuyeres ff, and acts uponthe fuel in the gas-producer A, decomposing the fuel. The gasesresulting from the decomposition, rising up through the interstices ofthe fuel, escape by the gas-flue B and gaschannels G into thereverheratory chamber C. 'Ihe heat incident to the decomposition of fuelin the lower fuelehamber, 9, acts upon the fuel in the upperfuel-chamber, o", effecting a distillation of thefuel therein, andcausing the fuel to evolve gases, which pass into the gasdelivery fine Band serve as an admixing supply to the gas from the lower fuel-chamber.The lower fuel-chamber, a", is contracted at its bottom, so that acontracted bottom or hearth is formed, and the tuyeres are arranged todeliver air into this portion of the gas-producer only, so that the fuelin the wider portion of the fuelchainber -above the air-inlets projectshorizontally over the inlets for the entrance of air, thus insuring thepassage of the air upward through the mass of the fuel.

I effect the combustion of the gases passing through the outlet B by airsupplied by adistinet blower, J, 'from which air passes through anair-conduit system, as follows:

H represents an air-pipe from the blower J, that measures the quantityofair delivered into the pipe H, as required. The pipe H has two branches,one, g, of which passes horizontally into a heating-chamber, t', whichis applied to the exterior of the lower fuel-chamber, o', and in thisinstance surrounds it and is extended so as to form air-passages aboveand below the fluesG. This ilue, which is the outlet (ora part thereof)for the gas-producer and the inlet for the heating-chamber, is dividedinto a series of channels by means of walls of ire-clay or otherrefractory m aterial, formed of hollow rectangular blocks, asapreferable shape, and nearly cubieal, the centers of the blocks beingopen through the blocks for the passage of the gases, as shown in allthe figures. Grooved recesses are madein the sides of each block,so thatwhen the blocks are connected together these recesses form externalair-passages, say three inches deep and three inches wide. From theseexternal air-passages tuyere-orilices are pierced horizontally andobliquely forward, with their exit-orifices opening into the centralgas-channels, so that the jets of air may be projected toward thereverberatory chaillber, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to impel the gasestoward said chamber, but are discharged into the gas while the latter iswithin the gaschannels. A second branch pipe, h, to the airpipe H, leadsvertically and turns horizontally along and over the furnace to a placenear the iiue D, where it turns and crosses over to the oppositel sideof the furnace.

rIhe transverse portion ot' the pipe is pierced for and receives atshort intervals iron pipes or tuyeres 7c, that are set diagonallyforward into and through the masonry to the outletfiue D, said tuyeresserving to supply air for complete combustion of gases that may not beburned at G.

A valve is placed in the pipe 1I at Z to shut oi the blast from h whenrequired. m and u are openings or muzzles, at one of which some of theair may be allowed to escape for the purpose of varying the character ofthe flame produced by the action of the residue, or at one of which anadditional quantity ofheated air to that supplied by the blowers may beinjected for the purpose of varying the character of the flame producedby the air delivered by the blowers previously described.

The blowers l J or blast-cylinders may be of any efficient andconvenient construction, and should be of equal capacity when coke isused for the fuel, one ot' the two, however, being provided with meansfor driving it at variable speeds, so that the volume or weight ofair delivered may by it be varied as required.

Zhen the fuel is bituminous coal, which evolves hydrocarbon gases, it ispreferred to increase the size of the blower or cylinder J, thatsupplies the air for the combustion of the combustible gases, ascompared with the size ofthe blower I, that supplies the gas-producer,the proportion of such increase being determined by the character ofthegases produced and the quantity of air required for their combustion,and this blower or cylinder is provided with means for varying itsspeed, so that the volume or weight of air delivered may be varied, asrequired, to meet the varying qualities of the fuel and gases and toproduce the quality of llame required.

The blowers here shown are arranged to have their speeds varied by beingdriven by belts applied to pulleys of different diameters, to which thebelts may be shifted. The air supply may, however, be furnished by oneIOC) IOS

IIS

blowing-machine, which must have distinct' pipes, with a meter for each,caused or permitted to move at the proper relative speeds for measuringthe quantities of air.

In order to supply the proper relative quantities of air, the chimney oroutlet-tine may be exhausted byjets of steam, thereby inducing partial.vacuums in the ues, so that the air and gases will be driven in bytheatmospheric pressure, meters or measuring-blowers being provided todetermine the relative quantities of air supplied to the gas-producerand to the tuyeres for burning the gas.

The temperature of the reverberatory heating-chamber C and theproportions ofreducinggases burned therein are regulated by the valve Z,which causes a portion ofthe air to be diverted from the pipe gto thepipe h andthe tuyeres k of the second heatingchamber, E, which may beused for heating scrap-steel or for melting cast-iron; or this heat maybe used Ato generate steam, or may be applied to other purposes. A spoutis shown from which the metal or slag may be run from the hearth ofthereverberatory chamber through a tap-hole in the side wall, provided forthat purpose.

The drawings represent my improvements as applied to reverberatoryfurnaces, but the system described of conducting the quantity ofcombustible gas to a heating-chamber and supplying air sufcient to burnonly a portion of such quantity, and of conducting the gas from thelirst heating-chamber to a second, and supplying air sufficient to burnthe residue ot' thecombustible gas, or thereabout, for heating saidsecond heating-chamber, will be found of value for the heating ofchambers for other purposes.

When the system is applied to steam-boilers and other uses where thegreat intensity of heat obtained by combustion taking place underpressure is not required, I prefer that the dues be arranged with thetuyeres at or near the exit ends ofthe lues, so that the conlbustionwill take place beyond the lues and in the heating-chamber.

The space in the gas-producer below the tuyeres fis the receptacle forashes and slag, which are withdrawn through an opening, c,providedforsuch purpose. Theopeningshould bc stopped up when working. Ahearth is shown in the drawings, but plain or step grates may bc usedand the blast applied through them.

It is preferable, when grates are not ernployed, to charge limestone orsome equivalent into the gas-producer to flux the ashes or earthyconstituents of the fuel, thereby producing a liquid slag which can bepermitted at intervals to flow out of a tap-hole made in the stopping ofthe opening c.

The hearth is composed of sand in the form of a dish with a slightdepression to the taphole, the temperature of its exterior beingmodified by the air from the blower I, which cools it. rhe diagonaltuyeres in the bridge G may be pierced through the tops and bottoms ofthe blocks or sections, and may be supplied by suitable airchannels, asWell as through the sides or division-walls, as previously described;but I prefer the latter arrangement.

Heretofore in gas-furnaces the gas and air have been introduced to oneanother in a conibustion-chamber, or in a series of combustionchambersarranged at the neck of the gasfurnace, but in every instance that Iknow ot' the sectional area ot' the chamber allowed for the mixture ofair and gas has been as great as or greater than the sum of thesectional areas of the gas-passage and the air passages or tuyeres,while in this my invention the sectional area of the passage or chamberfor the mixture of gas and air is of the saine sectional area as that ofthe gas-channel, whereby the gas and air are more intimately mixed, andthe blast of the mixture is made equal to the sum ofthe blast of the airand ofthe gas, which blast is augmented and increased by the expansionincident to the combustion within a narrowlyconfined space. The gasbeing separated into small volumes, the air supplied to each volume injets, and the mixtureJ confined under pressure, make a more perfectcombustion than can be made in any other known way.

A gas-furnace is described in my English Patent No. 1,267, dated April13, 1874, and in application 7,717, made by me 17th of April, 1880, andapplication 32,777, made by me May 5, 1881,for Letters Patent oftheUnited States, in which the air supplied for generating the combustiblegases, andthe air for burning' the said gases aftertheir production, aresimultaneously measured by means of two blowingeeylinders connectedtogether; but there is no arrangement shown or described in that patentor either application-above mentioned for producing an oxidizingtame byuse of an excess of air, or a reducing-flame by using less air than isrequired for perfect combustion; nor is there anymeans described forvarying the operation of the apparatus when the fuel varies incomposition. I

The improvement herein described, according to which the blower orcylinder that supplies air to the gas-producer and the blower orcylinder that supplies the air for the combustion of the gases may bedriven at variable speeds, enables the operator to produce a neutral amewith the highest temperature that can be attained practically by theprecise IOO IIC

amount of air for perfect combustion, with the y capacity of obtainingan oxidizing-dame by supplying an excess of air, and also of obtaining areducing-dame by supplying less air than is required for perfectcombustion, and it also permits the variation of the air-supply when thefuel varies in character.

The combination of the fuel-chamber in the upper part of thegas-producer (which insures a regular supply of gases ot' uniformcomposition and temperature) with the gas-channels,

with diagonal air-tuyeres arranged to burn the gases under pressure bymeans of air preheated by the side walls of the fuel-chamber, andsupplied in exact and measured quantities for the production of gas andfor its combustion, produces a great economy of fuel, accompanied withgreat intensity of heat.

Having now described the nature of my invention and the system, mode, ormanner in or under which the same is or may be used or carried out inpractice, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not claim merely thecombination of a fuel-burning gas-generating chamber with areverberatory furnace, nor the use of tiues or spaces constructed withinthe walls of a furnace to cool the walls and to heatthe air forced intothe apparatus for the conversion ot' the fuel into combustible gases,and also to burn these gases therefrom at a separate outlet, nor the useof tuyeres for delivering air, heated or otherwise, for consuming thegases in their transit through an apparatus for metallurgical or otherheating uses, nor the use ot heated air or air under pressure for suchuses, nor thefuelchamber in the upper part of the gas-producer A abovethe gas-outlet B for drying and preparing the fuel for conversion intogas when tuyeres are employed as inlets for air, so as to burn thehydrogen by the heat developed in the lower fuel-chamber; nor do I claimin this patent the simultaneous measurement of the air supplied forgenerating the combustible gas7 and for burning the said gas after itsproduction, when blowing or measuring appliances capable of beingoperated at variable speeds are not used, nor the use of perforatedchambers placed upon the firebridge or behind it, when combined with asteam-boiler furnace for supplying air to consume the smoke given ofi`directly after fueling when bituminous coal is charged in thin layersupon an ordinary grate upon which the carbon of the fuel is directlyconsumed, such combination dil'leriug from mine. in the respects thatthe smoke, under these circum stances, cannot be perfectly consumedwithout the employment ot' about four times the proper quantity of air,which should be admitted at times when there is no evolution of thevolatile products of the fuel, whereas in the furnace hereinbet'oredescribed there is no sudden or unusual evolution of volatile productsafter charging fuel, and no more air is required for complete combustionat one time than at another.

In nngnsh Patent No. 1,267, A. D. 1874, a. i

description is given of the invention made by me of the charging ofcaustic linie with the fuel in the gas-producer; but such lime requiresto be prepared by burning limestone previous to use. The last part ofthe invention herein specitied is based upon the discovery thatlimestone or its equivalent (such as blast-furnace einder) can beadvantageouslyemployed in-the gasprOducer, thus obviating the necessityof the previous burning required for caustic lime.

I am aware that metallurgie furnaces have been made in which the gas hasbeen introduced by a series of gas-channels and the air by a series ofconverging air-passages so arranged that the gas and air from theseveral passages are mingled and consumed in a conibustion-chamberoutside of the gas-passages.

That l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. rlhe heating-chamber provided with a neck divided into a series ofgas-channels ot' continuous sectional area,and with air-passagesconnected by diagonal air-tuyeres with the gaschannels a short distancefrom the discharge end of the gas-channels, whereby air from theair-passages may be forced into the gasehannels, substantially asspecified.

2. The hollow block having an interior passage for gas of continuoussectional area and an external air-groove, and walls perforated. fromthe external air-groove diagonally to the gas-channel at a shortdistance from the discharge end of the gas-channel, as specified and setforth.

3. The combination of the gas-producer, a blower for supplying air tothe producer, a seeond blower for supplying air to burn the gasproduced, and a furnace and adjustable mechanism for driving the twoblowers at variable rates, substantially as specified.

4. rlhe combination of gasproducer, a blower for supplying a measuredvolume of air to the producer, and a second blower for supplying air toburn the gas produced, and a furnace and adjustable mechanism fordriving the two blowers, and mechanism for separating the air fromthesecond blower into separate portions, and supplying the separateportions to the gas produced at successive stages of its combustion, asspecified and set forth.

JAMES HENDERSON.

Attest:

Unas. G. Hmsnn, J. B. HYDE.

IOO

